Heinz, known for its namesake ketchup, said it plans to spend an additional $15 million through April to promote its brands and signaled it's willing to ditch its unprofitable food products amid rising energy costs and prices for dairy and sweeteners.

The company, bolstered by sales of its key brands, also raised its fiscal 2008 profit forecast.

Heinz
HNZ, +0.00%
said net income rose to $227 million, or 71 cents a share, from $191.6 million, or 57 cents a share, in the year-ago period.

Analysts, on average, expected it to earn 67 cents a share on revenue of about $2.4 billion, according to Thomson Financial.

"Sales growth across all divisions exceeded our forecast," Deutsche Bank analyst Eric Katzman said in a note to clients.

Heinz shares rose 0.7% to $47.54.

This year, the Pittsburgh-based food maker has boosted its spending to tout 200 new items, with an emphasis on healthy foods and fast-growing countries. Product pushes have occurred in the U.K., China, Poland and Australia, with new soups, organic pastas and baked beans.

Heinz has been seeking to spur sales and boost its gross profit margin to offset rising raw material prices for dairy and sweeteners.

Heinz's emerging markets posted a 24% sales gain, driven by new products and packaging improvements. In China, sales of Long Fong frozen dumplings, rice balls, appetizers and hot pot soups increased more than 25%, and sales of Heinz infant nutrition products in China rose more than 40% following the successful relaunch of both Heinz infant cereals and jars, the company said.

Looking ahead, Heinz raised the top end of its fiscal 2008 forecast to $2.62 a share, up from its prior target of $2.54 to $2.60 a share. It pegged full-year sales growth of 9% to 10%, or between $9.8 billion and $9.9 billion. The company's fiscal year ends in April.

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